A campaign has been launched to bring a banking hub to Kington, so those nearby in Radnorshire can access banking from Monday to Friday.

The Kington Banking Hub, dubbed as a way to “bring back 1808”, would see The Kington and Radnorshire Bank restored to its former glory. In 1908, the bank amalgamated with Midland Bank, before being taken over by HSBC. It has been closed since 2017.

It was recently announced that Lloyds Bank in Presteigne will close in 2025, but it has been confirmed that Presteigne will get a replacement free-to-use ATM installed in the town after closure. The location of this ATM is yet to be confirmed.

Tim and Caroline Allen from Kington Post Office, along with Marion Evans, are helping to lead the campaign, and believe that with the right “action and support” they will be successful in getting a banking hub. The hope is that the hub will be incorporated into the RidgeBank Art space at 1 High Street, and could be managed by Kington’s current Postmaster.

Those gathering momentum for the campaign have said: “Bank hubs are a modern version of the traditional high street bank and restore face-to-face banking for customers and small businesses. Bank hubs are co-owned by the major UK high street banks through a not-for-profit company thus providing a shared space for the funding banks from which they can operate.”

Employees from the major banks will be available to meet with customers from Monday to Friday.

The campaigners said: “It is our belief that a banking hub for Kington would promote the town economically both for its businesses and residents and secure the town at the heart of the immediate economy.”

The space, currently used by contemporary artists, will still welcome them, helping to bring more visitors to the hub.

Concerns have previously been raised that many towns across Powys such as Builth Wells, and Hay-on-Wye, are without a bank. There was hope that these larger towns would be eligible for Banking Hubs but sadly they are not meeting the criteria due to their low population size, amongst other factors.